


Something Weak

by fencesit



Category: Naruto
Genre: Arranged Marriage, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22608427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencesit/pseuds/fencesit
Summary: Kakashi will do it. But it will probably go terribly.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 12
Kudos: 508
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Something Weak

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AlTheAlchemist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlTheAlchemist/gifts).



It happens quickly: 

First, the foreigner is escorted back to his lodgings and ANBU Hound stays behind as the Yondaime's sole guard. Second, ANBU Hound receives a verbal order from the Yondaime and unmask. Third, ANBU Hound becomes Hatake Kakashi and the Yondaime becomes Minato-sensei. Fourth, Minato-sensei says, "Kakashi-kun, you can say no." 

A foreigner claiming to be an Uzumaki arrived in Konoha two weeks ago. Minato-sensei has just spent the better part of an hour explaining how exactly a foreign ninja can gain permanent entrance into the village. There aren't very many paths for that — especially without the backing of a full clan — so fundamentally the foreigner has two choices: an extremely short leash with the overworked Torture and Interrogation crew or an arranged marriage to a ninja of at least jōnin rank in extremely good standing with the village. 

The maybe-Uzumaki maybe-Kushina's-relative foreigner is only a few months older than Kakashi. Neither is a good option, but marriage is at least only _figurative_ torture. T&I wouldn't pull out a full set of knives or anything, but their more subtle applications of stress and pressure are, Kakashi hears, much worse. 

"I enjoy my work with ANBU," Kakashi says. He's only just started it, and it's been mostly guarding missions inside the village to free up squads who are, he gathers, actively hastening the end of the war. But it's an excellent distraction, and a perfect place to hide from the Uchiha, and probably _not_ compatible with being married. 

Minato-sensei smiles sympathetically. "I know," he says. "You've done well. And you could always go back. But..." 

But the village needs Kakashi's service in a different way. But there's no one else Minato could ask to do this, because the Nohara clan certainly isn't going to offer up Rin. 

So Kakashi will do it. But it will probably go terribly. 

* * *

Kakashi officially meets his new spouse for the first time the next day. At the Office for Records and Certificates. "Oh good, we're all right on time," Minato-sensei says, even though Kakashi was deliberately five minutes late. "Naruto, this is Hatake Kakashi. Kakashi, this is Uzumaki Naruto." 

"Hiya!" Naruto says. His smile is so wide it scrunches his face up and makes his eyes squint. It makes his true feelings almost impossible to read, but Kakashi doesn't mind that. 

It's a nice smile, and Kakashi doesn't need to understand what Naruto is thinking to spot whether or not he's being disloyal to the village. 

Rin is here as well, offering a subdued wave and an anxious smile of her own — she's probably not comfortable with the speed and aim of Kakashi's sudden marriage to a foreigner. And she's been up late studying, with bags under her eyes and ink smudged on her hands. The invitation to the wedding probably caught her as she was going to bed. 

Kakashi lifts his hand in an unenthusiastic wave in lieu of verbal greeting. That's probably good enough, right? Kushina has told him— 

"You brat," comes Kushina's voice from behind him. Her hand drops onto his head several moments later (slow enough for him to know it's coming and suppress his instrictual flinch towards violence, but too fast for him to actually dodge it) and ruffles his hair. "That's not what I meant when I said waving is a perfectly acceptable friendly greeting and you know it," Kushina tells him. She always sounds so warm when she scolds him, and it's easier to bare than Minato's carefully phrased sympathetic concerns. 

"Maybe you give bad instructions," Kakashi suggests, as he unsuccessfully tries to duck away from Kushina's hand. 

Naruto laughs, suddenly. Kakashi has to turn his head to look back at Naruto — his field of view isn't very good these days — and he finds that Naruto laughs with his whole body. Naruto's shoulders shake, his head is thrown back, his posture is suddenly more open. 

"Rude," Kushina huffs, "and after I ran around all morning just for you!" 

But she gives his head a comforting pat before she frees him from her torment, so Kakashi knows her annoyance is affectionate too. 

"I didn't ask you to run anywhere," Kakashi feels the need to point out — otherwise Kushina will try to wheedle him into favor upon favor later in the week — and eyes Minato and Rin, trying to guess which one of them asked Kushina on his behalf. 

They both look guilty. 

"You're _getting married_ ," Kushina says, exasperated, and then starts emptying her shopping bag onto the desk: raw rice, sake, two sake cups, and a small cake. She doles out equal portions of the rice to herself, Minato, Rin, and the chūnin behind the desk. 

Kakashi and Naruto are shuffled to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the desk. Naruto has to sign about eleven pieces of paper. Kakashi only has to sign one — the marriage certificate. Then he and Naruto drink to the health of their marriage and everyone throws rice at them. 

It's loud and the sake burns on the way down. Naruto smiles the whole time. 

* * *

They go to Kakashi's apartment. It's a little dusty. "Ah, there was no time to clean," Kakashi mutters, looking at the tracks their entry through the window have left in the dust on the windowsill. Kakashi spent the night before and all of the nights before that either in the ANBU barracks or in Minato-sensei's guest room. 

"Oh man, there's _never_ time to clean," Naruto says. "It's okay! I don't mind." He grabs the end of his jacket's sleeve and uses his sleeve to whip the dust clear off the window sill. "There! Fixed." 

It's made Naruto's florescent orange sleeve scummy and dingy. But at least the apartment is slightly cleaner. That's probably good. 

Kakashi casts about for something to say but can't think of anything, so he just lets the silence stretch. It's comfortable, in the sense that Kakashi is more comfortable when he's not trying to make conversation. 

"I got stuff," Naruto says. He slips a scroll out of his pocket. It's the kind of paper and ink Minato-sensei likes, so Kakashi doesn't so much as twitch when Naruto dumps chakra into it. 

The contents of the scroll are one ratty green backpack, a thigh holster, and a rear kunai pouch. The backpack isn't big enough for more than a couple sets of clothes — and probably has other supplies inside it. 

Kakashi turns back to the window. "We're going shopping." 

* * *

They go shopping. Kakashi's apartment probably only has canned goods at best, and Naruto needs some of everything. Also, Kakashi is pretty sure married people don't sleep on shuriken-patterned sheets? But then, Naruto has seen the sheets and hadn't objected. So maybe it's fine. 

"Clothes first," Kakashi decides, and then remembers that as confidently as Naruto strides forward, he hasn't even been in the village for a month and he's spent most of that time on lock down or in meetings. Naruto has no _idea_ where the retail district is. Kakashi takes the lead, and Naruto falls in step next to him. 

It's been a long time since Kakashi actually let himself be seen in Konoha, and he finds he doesn't have the attention to spend watching people watch him when he's next to Naruto. 

Because Naruto talks _a lot_. 

"I noticed you have dog bowls!" he says first. And then he wants to know: does Kakashi have dogs? What kinds? What are their names? They sound cool, Naruto says, and he wants to meet them. 

Kakashi isn't looking forward to explaining his sudden marriage to Pakkun, but he agrees anyway. Awkward with dogs is better than awkward without dogs. 

"You seem like you already have clothes," Naruto says thoughtfully when they get to the clothing store. "Or like you get them from the village." 

Kakashi is, in fact, dressed in blues and a jōnin vest. He outgrew his other clothing while he was in ANBU and there isn't really any point in _not_ wearing village-issued clothing. But Naruto isn't officially a ninja of Konoha yet, so he's not eligible to wear the uniform. 

"Oh," Naruto says, and _then_ his face clears up: " _Oh_. We're shopping for _me_ — uh, but I don't have, I mean, I was — it was kind of expensive to get all the way here?" 

The sigh Kakakshi allows himself is inaudible but deeply, deeply felt. "I'm paying." 

Naruto looks surprised. And then happy. Well, he almost always looks happy. But even happier, somehow. "Thanks, Kakashi!" he says. "You're the best!" 

* * *

After they're burdened down with rice and eggs and milk and miso and fish and eggplant in addition to Naruto's new clothes, they walk home on the street with an aim to enter Kakashi's apartment building from the ground floor. It involves passing a gardening supply shop with potted plants set out on wheeled carts on the sidewalk. 

Naruto slows down. 

"Hey," he says. He's looking at a tiny, leafy...thing. 

Is it a tree still if it fits in a pot? It's not a bush. Well. Whatever. He's looking at it. And then looking back at Kakashi. And then looking back at the plant. 

So Kakashi buys the plant. He has plenty of money. Maybe having a plant will convince people he's not about to self-destruct. Or he and Naruto will kill it together, which is probably a bonding activity, of sorts. Kakashi's bonded with lots of people while killing...well, other people, mostly. But there's nothing wrong with trying something new. 

Naruto hugs the plant to his chest until they make it into the apartment, at which point he puts the pot down carefully on the windowsill. Then he looks through the apartment until he finds ink and a brush. "Mr. Ukki Sr.," he declares, squinting at the pot as he paints the name on the pot's rim. 

Kakashi slides all the perishables into the fridge, dumps the rice and other dry goods into a cabinet, and then puts the eggplant in its place of honor in the middle of the counter. Then he can finally turn around and pay attention to Naruto. "Senior?" 

"Yeah," Naruto says, and nods. "He's really little and weak right now, and kinda not doing so hot — we really rescued him from that deathtrap, y'know, it was way too dark — but he's gonna grow up way strong. Like, the Hokage of plants. Then he'll have lots of plant kids!" 

"Why." 

Naruto grins at him, wider and wider. "That's the best part! We'll give 'em to people who need cheering up." 

Kakashi's pretty sure it won't work like that (actually, he's pretty sure most of the people will just kill the plants) but...whatever. 

"We'll kick the pot over if you leave it there," Kakashi says. "Put it on the nightstand." 

The windowsill and the plant are the only clean things in the apartment so far. Maybe it'll work. 


End file.
